Posture-Correcting Smart Chair for Libraries: An Ergonomic and User-Centered Intervention

Abstract

Long periods of sedentary activity especially in library settings where scholars, experimenters and professionals spend much of their time reading, writing, and using digital tools have been associated with a host of physical health problems involving musculoskeletal diseases, back, neck, and blood circulation problems. Besides the physical burden, improper postures will cause undo harm to internal alertness, cognitive performance, and overall productivity. With the increasing demand in the ergonomic necessity of studying environments, the present paper proposes a new concept of an ergonomic chair design, specifically focusing on libraries. The chair is furnished with real-time posture monitoring sensors with a responsive alert media that gives an imperceptible audible or tactile sense when a blemished sitting position is sensed. The system operates in continual mode in assessing the sitting posture of the user through the use of bedded pressure and motion detectors, and the data is reprocessed with the help of a posture recognition algorithm. Amplifying deviations out of the suggested ergonomic poses, the system will remind the user in a non-obvious way that they should adjust their seating situation and thus improve their sitting habits in general without disrupting the study environment. The overall outcome of this smart furniture achieves both spinal alignment and overall well-being, as well as positive effects on concentration and long-term work productivity. The design approach, perpetration process of this smart chair system, usability testing, and implicit functioning of this smart seating system in ultramodern academic libraries and other learning territories are also discussed in the paper.